3 Reasons Why Your ACT Score Isn't Improving

You’ve taken the ACT multiple times, and your score just isn’t budging. How can this be? You feel like you’ve studied and prepared adequately for the test each time, and yet you still haven’t seen your score make the jump you’re looking for. If this sounds like you, there might be a few reasons why what you’re doing to get ready for the ACT isn’t working as well as you thought it would. 

You Haven’t Been Taking Practice Tests

Taking practice ACT tests is the key to learning how to excel on the exam. To do well, you need to know exactly what to expect when you get to your testing center. By taking official practice tests and using old exams from previous years, you will see exactly what the test will look like when you go in to take it. It might not seem helpful to take practice tests since you’ve already taken the real ACT, but there’s a reason they say practice makes perfect. The more you practice, the more familiar the test will be to you, and you’ll be able to figure out the different types of questions and how to answer them without getting stumped, and without the pressure of receiving an official score.

You Aren’t Learning From Your Mistakes

If you’re taking practice tests and going over study material, but you’re not taking the time to go over why you’re getting certain questions wrong, you aren’t doing enough. When you go over your practice ACT answers, try to find consistencies in the ones you miss—you might find that there’s a pattern in the types of questions you’re getting wrong. Use your study materials to learn why these questions are difficult for you, and work on them until you get the hang of it. After a while, you’ll find that the overall scores you’re getting on your practice tests will increase, and the areas you’ve historically been the weakest in will have fewer mistakes. 

You Aren’t Studying Enough 

In order to significantly improve your test score, you’ll need to put in the time it takes to be adequately prepared. If you do no more than glance at your study materials a handful of times before you sit down for the ACT, you won’t be as well prepared as you could be. If you really want to improve your score, it’s crucial that you dedicate a good amount of time to studying for the exam. Come up with a study schedule that works for you, make sure you stick to it, and stay focused. Get help from a tutor if you find that studying on your own is too difficult or if you need more help. 

The bottom line is: don’t be discouraged by an ACT score that drops by a point or two. With an audit of your current study plan, a new approach, and more practice, you’ll be right back on track.